An IPPR delegation including Lord Peter Mandelson and Tristram Hunt MP visited Beijing and Chongqing from 27 June to 2 July 2011, as part of our Future of Globalisation project. Will Straw, IPPR Associate Director for Strategic Development, reports on the experiences and findings of the visit.

The scale of China's economy and its growth are well documented but worth repeating. China has grown at around 10 per cent a year for 32 years and now boasts the world's second-largest economy. But despite these extraordinary figures, China is not complacent about the challenges that it faces. In addition to China's major economic challenges - including inflation and the need to rebalance towards domestic consumption - this report also touches on China's social policy and opportunities for Britain in China, including a case study of Hewlett Packard's operations in Chongqing.